The Alpha's Mistress

73

Word Count: 2421

~Onyx

I twist a piece of straw in my fingers, a heavy ache settling in my chest.

I don't know why I come out of here. It only hurts. This barn used to be a place I came to with Sienna to be alone with her, where we could talk and connect.

Now it's a place of bleak loneliness and a harsh reminder of her absence. Yet, at the same time, it's the only place I feel like I can come where I feel close to her.

This space has always belonged to us, under the single dull light, amongst the yellow hay.

Yawning, I look to the bundle of blankets and limp pillow I've been sleeping on. Dusk has only just settled and I'm already contemplating sleep.

It seems to be the only place I feel relief, these days.

A deep growl of thunder shudders through the barn, accompanying the steady patter of rain. Sienna would hate this storm.

I hope someone is taking care of her where she is. Even if it is Alston.

The sound of footsteps pattering through puddles outside has me lifting my head. Moments later the barn door opens with a vicious scrape and Alex appears.

"Onyx?"

"Over here," I call out bleakly, tossing my mangled and bent piece of straw away.

She shakes out her umbrella at the entrance, sending raindrops scattering. Without closing it she rests it to the side before venturing toward me, weaving past towering stacks of haybales.

"I was told you would be in here," she says softly, brushing the frizzy edges of her pale hair back. "Didn't believe it at first..."

Her eyes graze over my makeshift bed, a crease forming between her brow. I'm sure the sight is as depressing as it feels, but I can't find it in myself to care.

"I don't really feel like being in my room right now," I admit.

"Diane wanted me to bring you your dinner since you've been skipping it a lot these days. She's worried about you." She rubs her arm. "But I thought I better try summon you inside instead."

I sigh through my nose. Sitting inside, pretending I'm okay sounds like a tiresome, impossible task right now.

"She should be being doted on. Sienna is like a daughter to her," I murmur, looking down at the lines of my palms.

Diane claims she isn't worried, that she has faith Sienna will return home. But even she couldn't help the night she crumpled into my arms and cried against my shoulder as she remember what Sienna's mother went through in Zion's control.

It almost killed me to be strong for her.

Alex's voice is nearly lost in the sound of the rain. "True, and you're her mate..."

"Hmm."

"You're sleeping out here?" She nods to my pillow, which is only a few inches from her glistening, rain soaked boots.

Alex doesn't bother to restrain her concern. In becoming my mother's assistant, she has in some ways become mine. She's been picking up the pieces I've left behind, making excuses for the jobs I have been neglecting and reminding me to be strong when the task feels impossible.

As grateful as I am for her, I hate that such a burden has been placed on her shoulders.
 
"Sienna and I would often spend time together out here before we admitted our feelings for each other. We would play cards and talk all night," I tell her.

I can still see the indent of where Sienna and I would sit a few paces away from me. I haven't dared sit there, lest I stir the hay and destroy the tangible evidence of that reality.

Alex swallows, her brows furrowing. "You miss her."

"More than you can imagine." I clear my throat in an effort to stop my voice from cracking. "Every day sanity seems to be slipping away from me. I'm losing myself without her."

"I miss her too. A lot. She have me the best gift ever, which is happiness." Alex smiles softly to herself, although her eyes remain sad. "I would have never escaped my parents without you both."

I sweep my hand through my tangled hair. "She's a good friend."



Everything in our lives was finally falling into place. It's killing me knowing it has been taking from me, and although I'm trying to remain certain I'll get her back, my hope is slipping.

Alston is the problem. I can see him falling for her, recognise the same glaze in his eyes when he looks at her that I've always had.

"You need to start taking better care of yourself. She'll be home soon, and she will be expecting the same man she left behind," Alex reminds me gently.

"I know." I rub my face before kneading my temples. "You're right."

"Being away from your mate must be borderline impossible." She stares down at the hay, grimacing. "It makes me feel guilty for bringing this up."

"What up?"
 
"I've met someone," she admits. "His name is Christian, and things are getting serious between us."

My brows raise. I figured something was going on with her since she's been in better spirits than the rest of the house recently. I just thought she was holding herself together better than us.

I get to my feet. "Really? That's great, Alex. You deserve love."

"I was wondering if you would meet him...he's inside and I want your read on him." She scratches beneath her ear. "I like him, but I want to know if I'm into him more than he's into me. Sometimes it doesn't feel like he's completely invested in us."

I smile despite myself, trying to share in her happiness. "Of course, Alex. I would be happy to."

We venture back through the storm beneath Alex's umbrella, which nearly collapses beneath the weight of the storm, the fabric almost ripping from the spokes.

Inside, Alex adjusts her hair in the mirror and pinches her cheeks before nodding securely at me.

I better like this guy. Alex deserves someone kind after what I put her through, and with Sienna gone for now, she needs someone.

We stride into the sitting room, pulling the gaze of a tall, lanky man waiting in the centre.

A sense of familiarity immediately tingles against my skin. There is nothing particularly unique about his features, but the way he looks at me feels so familiar it's disconcerting.

"Alpha. What an honour to meet you." He strides forward, offering me his hand.

I shake it, noting his grip is loose and uncertain. He glances at Alex, smiling tentatively. She flushes, clearly smitten by him.

"Christian, is it?" I take my time to survey him, not bothered by how blatant my assessment is.

"It is, sir."

He's scared of me. I can't fault him for it, as there aren't many who meet me who aren't. He's started dating a girl who works for an Alpha, who he now has to prove himself to.

I'll be kind for Alex's sake — I know how desperately she wants true love. But I won't be afraid to speak my mind to her if I don't believe he is an ideal match.

"I hope you are treating Alex well," I muse calmly. "She deserves nothing less."

He dips his head, light brown curls brushing against his brow. "I'm doing my best."

I wish I knew what it is about his eyes that look so familiar. They are a dark brown, framed by even darker lashes. They watch me, an unreadable emotion stirring in them.

"Why don't you two have a talk while I go check on dinner that Diane made," Alex says, brushing both our arms before backing away. "Onyx, I hope you don't mind eating with us tonight."

"Of course I don't mind," I murmur.

Christian and I watch her go, an unsettling tension draping over the room. I'm not an ideal conversationalist right now, but for Alex, I'll try.

"I must ask, but have I met you before, Christian? You look vaguely familiar," I bring up.

"Possibly." His hands slide into his pockets. "I've done a bit of work here and there for Maren as one of her kitchen staff. You may have seen me at one of her events."

"Ah, that sounds about right." I nod, although for some reason that doesn't satisfy me.

The staff at Maren's estate are instructed to keep their heads down and remain out of guests paths. Some key staff like personal guards come to mind, but I would rarely cross paths with kitchen staff.

"I haven't received much luck in this life so far," he muses, looking out the grand window at the rain that assaults the glass. "But it's starting to look up."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmm. I have some projects in the works." He rubs his jaw, the edges of his mouth turning upward. "I've been working on them behind the scenes, but I figured it's about time I came into the light."

He better not say he's intending to propose of Alex, as I fear I may throw him out of my house into the storm. They have just met...

"What are you working on?" I ask tightly, my eyes narrowing on the side of his face.

"My primary focus is repairing some broken relationships in my family," he admits forlornly. "I thought revenge was my only option for a while, but I'm starting to realise that there are other ways to get what I want."

"Revenge is tempting, I must admit. But it often gets in the way of what truly matters."

At least I can relate to this guy on something. I live with the desire for revenge every day. It's like carrying around a burden I can't shake, even though reason suggests I should.

"You must be very familiar with that," he notes, looking over me.

"Hmm?"

"Your father, he was murdered." He turns his entire body to face me instead of the window, sending of warning signals in the back of my mind. "Of course he deserved it, though. Zion was only defending his honour."

I open my mouth, but close it again.

He speaks so plainly, so blatantly. No one of his station would ever dare speak to me in such a way, which means there is a reason he believes he can speak freely.

So, I dampen the immediate rise of anger, focusing instead on ascertaining his point before I contemplate whether I want to snap his neck or drag his death out for speaking about my father that way.

"Why are you here tonight, Christian?" I ask lowly.

He smirks, the look not suiting the soft lines of his face. "I wanted to ask first-hand how my sister is doing."

"Your sister?"

"Sienna." He angles his head. "I heard you're mates. It's a pity really...I always figured you two wouldn't work out."

The sound of the rain overhead vanishes suddenly as the only sound I can hear becomes a dull pumping of blood around my head. This can't be real...

Sienna and I were just discussing her possibly having a brother, and now he's standing before me under the guise of being Alex's boyfriend while he smiles dumbly at me.

I don't want to, but I see a vague resemblance. I see it mostly in the eyes — not the colour, as his are a touch darker than hers, but in the way he looks at me.

"You're the one who has been leaving her notes." I step forward, bending my head to look down at him. "The one who has been threatening her."

I should kill him right now. I should spill his blood on this floor before explaining it to Alex.

"Before you overreact, just listen," he cautions.

Despite myself, I hesitate enough for him to explain himself.

"I am everywhere at once. I have access to places you don't, including into Zion's estate," he says calmly, his gaze hardening. "I've brushed shoulders with Sienna many times, and I can easily take her life myself, or have one of my many friends do it."

"Is that a threat?" I seethe.
 
"You're not going to threaten me, or beat me or even try to kill me." He takes a step back, knowing pushing me away wouldn't be much use. "If so, you set in motion a plan I've devised long ago."

Onyx from a year ago probably would tear his throat out and call it a day. But he's threatening Sienna, ensuring that even if I were to take his life, he would have other ways of killing her.

I doubt he's being truthful, but how can I know for certain? I can't take that risk...it's Sienna.

"What do you want?"

"That remains to be seen suppose." He braces his hands behind his back, satisfied I'm not going to lash out. "You, Onyx, are a very inconvenient piece of the puzzle. You're lucky you're still alive."

My eyes narrow. "Is that so?"

"I just came here tonight to warn you. Sienna doesn't belong in this pack, nor as your mate." He shakes his head as he looks over me. "So stay away from her, or else people might start dying around here again, and we wouldn't want that, would we?"
 
"You have—"

"I wouldn't bother, Alpha." He lowers his voice. "I'm Alex's lover, I'm your mother's perfume acquirer, Diane's grocery supplier and one of Zion's trusted guards. I'm anyone I want to be, so you're going to keep your mouth closed and we will have a pleasant evening with Alex."

After a few moments of me reeling, Alex appears at the doorway, smiling at us both.

"Alright, dinner has been served in the dining room." She looks between us. "You two coming?"

"Of course, sweetheart. We'll be right there," Christian responds warmly, clapping me on the back before following her out.

I stand in place for a long moment, contemplating his threat...

Only to realise right now, there is nothing I can do about it.

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